Detachable means for life-boats.



1. A. MCNABB DETACHABLE mms FOR LIFE sous."

APPLICATION min mus-a. 1917.

' rateim d'mi. "20,

ments in Detachable Means for Life-Boats,

run s'ra'rns mm cur os.

JOHN All-EXANDER MGNABB, OF COLLINGWOOD, ONTARIO, CANADA, ASSIGNOR OFONE I I THIRD T0 GEORGE TINEGATE, OF GOLLINGWOOD, ONTARIQ-CANADA,

DETACHABLE MEANS FOR LIFE-BOATS.

Specification of Letters Patent. A

Application filed June 2,1917. Serial at. 173,628.

of Simcoe, Province of Ontario, Canada, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, have invented certain new and useful Improveof which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in detachable means for life boats,andrelates more particularly to that type of detachable means whereinthe coupling means coupling cipal object of my invention isto provide;

the boat at each end to the davits' are simultaneously released by alever mechanism which is operated amidships, and the prinemergencycoupling means so that in case it be impossible to uncouple the lifeboat from the tackle carried by'the davits, by the op eration of thelever mechanism hereinafter described or its equivalent, either or bothends of thelife boat may readily uncoupled by hand. Another object ofmy'invention is to provide ajvery simple lock for the actuating lever. p

The preferred construction of my inven tion will be hereinafterparticularly set forth, and what I claim as new will be pointed out inthe claims forming part of i this specification.

Figure 1 is a vertlcal central longitudinal section through a life boat,showingmy detachable means in side elevation, certain parts being cutaway to illustrate internal construction. Fig. 2 is an end elevation ofone of the standards carrying the coupling means. Fig. 3is an elevationof the actuating lever and the locking means therefor,

and Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the coupling means carried bythe upperends of the standard illustrated in Fig. 2, showing the emergencyuncoupling means knocked down. I I

In the drawings, like. characters of reference refer to the same parts.4

I have found from actualpractice that during stormy and cold weather onthe Great Lakes, ice is apt to form on the tackle and coupling means,whereby said tackle is coupled to the life boats, and the consequence isthat it hasbeen found impossible to readily uncouple the'life boat fromthe davits under such circumstances, and therefore some emergencyuncoupling means must be provided so that both ends of the life boat maybe readily uncoupledunder the circumstances just noted, andv by theoccupants ofthe boat. i

The improvements herein described and hereinafter pointed out in theclaims, I

have made in the invention patented to my- Patented Nov. 20, iei'r.

self and the late Gilbert Emery on July-25,

1916 under Number1,192,54l3.

A, is the boat and mounted at each end thereof is a suitable standardpreferably formed of two upright members B, spaced apart. The upperortions ofthese upright .members are coup edtogether by the tie bolts C,and the lower ends of the said members are, preferably coupled togetherby the relationship, in respect. of the members B,

byany suitable means such as the thimbles -H mounted on said tie-bolts.Each hook is coupled by a link-arm I to a bell-crank lever J, which ispivoted on a tie-member K held in the standards B. The said bell-cranklevers are held in suitable spaced relationship in respect ofthe-members B, by anysuitable means such as the thimbles L. Eachbellcranklever is coupled by a connecting rod 3 M with the actuatinglever N which is positioned amidships. This actuating lever N is pivotedon the tie-member O mounted in the members P of the standard Q, and issuitably held in spaced relationship in re-' s set of said members, aswill be understood. s hereinafter particularly described, the

actuating lever N is unlocked, and by moving it in the directionindicated by arrow in Fig. 1, the hooks G are disengagedfrom thecoupling members? carried by the block and tackle 3, (only partly shown)which are coupled to the davits, not-shwon. When the hooks G and theirsupporting parts are not coated with ice, they can readily be moved todisengage the lifeboat, as described. When they are coated witli ice,hey cannot be moved readily, and to overome this disadvantage, I haveprovided each hook G with what I may term a keeper,

,which performs the function of an emen gency uncoupling means; Thesekeepers t formed in the sides 5, and through holes 11 for the endstandards which may be used if '(shown by dotted lines in Figs. 4: and2) formed in the members B. Should it be impossible, for any reasonwhatsoever, to move the hooks G touncouple the boat, the pins 9 can bereadily knocked out of position and thus permit the keepers 4 to be.knocked down into the position illustrated in Fig. 4, thus allowing fothe ready disengagement of the coupling members 2 from the hooks G.

The split-pins 9 or their equivalents, are coupled to the boat by anysuitable means such as the chain '12. 13 are suitable braces desired.

P'ivoted to the lever N by the pin 14 is a latch 15, the nose 16 ofwhich normally rests in the slot 17 (shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3)formed in the thwart 18. The side members 19 of the latch are spacedapart, and between them passes the lever N. 20' is a lug or barcarried'bythe side members 19 of the latch 15, and against this lug orbar, the spring 21 rests. This spring is carried by the lever N, and itsfunction is to maintain the nose 16 in the slot 17. Any. suitable meansmay be employed to keep the latch- 15 coupled to the thwart 18 whendesired.

It is only necessary to move the lever N in one direction to uncouplethe hooks G, and since the described meansfor locking the said lever tothe thwartis very simple,

Gopies of this pat ent may he obtained 101' I have reduced to a minimumany possibility of the actuating lever N jamming.

If desired, I may secure shields 22 to the bottom of the boat, and overthe major portionof the length of the connecting rods M. Any suitableturnbuckle 23 or equivalent means may be used on the rods M to providefor adjustment and wear.

The upper portion ofthe lever N rests normally in a slot a formed in theside of the thwart 18.

Ido not confine myself to the construction standards; and means wherebysaid keepers are locked to maintain them normally in the path ofreleasing movement of said coupling members;

2. The combination with a boat; standards supported one at each endthereof, and each composed of two upriggit members spaced apart; a hookpivoted etween said upright members and having its free end normallyextending above the top of itsassociated standard; a keepersubstantiallyU- shaped in form, pivoted to said uprights at the upper end of eachofsaid standards, said keepers normally designed to project above saidstandards and over the free ends of may be locked against movement.

JOHN ALEXANDER MoNABB.

five cents each, by addressing the commissioner of Patents. Washington,JD. 9. v

.said hooks, and means whereby said keepers

